Etsy Weekends: Dapper Accessories

Bow-ties have been experiencing a resurgence in popularity, and I am totally on board with that trend. While Matt isn't really a bow-tie man, I am still drawn to them when I see them on Etsy. This one really grabbed my attention!

Black and White Bow Tie from Dahlia Street

Smokey Times

 Hello!

There are fires in the west, and the smoke has settled in the valley. The last few days our town has been a red or orange dot, and you can feel it in your lungs. This air is unhealthy for at-risk people, and not much fun for folks who aren't at-risk. Matt and I have been trying to keep the windows closed, and we've been riding the Peloton more instead of walking outdoors. The garden doesn't seem to be too bothered - although the light is heavily filtered through the smoke, things are growing and coming ripe! I didn't manage to get half the plans I had for the garden put in place this year, so I wasn't able to plant beets or carrots, but the peppers are going nuts, as are the tomatillos. We've picked a few batches of green beans now, and some of the onions are starting to flower and tip over. My big oxheart tomatoes are also covered in fruit which are slowly turning colors. I picked a German Red Strawberry this week that has to be close to a pound in weight. Huge, huge fruit! 

Our evenings this week were filled with Japanese language homework - hoo boy it goes fast! And I have such a hard time hearing the words. I struggle understanding the English words I hear - so trying to hear and recognize and translate another language is really difficult. Luckily, Matt is really good at that - so between the two of us, with me reading, and him verbally communicating, we should be golden for our next visit to Japan - or Nihon.   :)

I did manage to get out my knitting needles this week! I've been wandering into the yarn room and squishing yarn, thinking, and dreaming. I had a bag of leftover yarns that I had been thinking about turning into another hat and scarf set, so I brought that downstairs and cast on Friday afternoon. :) I also brought some other yarn downstairs, and can't wait to turn that into hats too! It's hat knitting weather. 

Hope you all have a wonderful week, and we'll chat next Sunday!

Etsy Weekends: Bird Feeder Fun

This bird feeder is adorable!! It can be used as a feeder, or a bath. :)

Bird Feeder from Stonewerks Statuary

Back to School, Back to School

 Hello everyone :)

Matt heads back to campus tomorrow to start his Sophomore year of college. We're looking forward to all of his classes, but a bit apprehensive on how the year will go. He's got a bevy of masks, so he should be ready to be in a room with young people who aren't known for taking many precautions health wise. He starts Japanese language classes, and I'm trying to learn along with him. We've downloaded some apps and have been working on learning the hiragana, but it's a lot to learn!

I've been thinking about knitting, a lot. But haven't actually done any. I have a couple of projects on the list to do right away - some hats and scarves to prep for winter - and then some back burner projects I'd like to work on.  Mostly I just want to buy and squish yarn. :)

This week's creative energies were focused on jewelry making. I had a family friend custom order malas for Christmas gifts, and the beads came in early this week so I was able to get those put together. Matt put the finishing touches on for me yesterday, and I can't wait to send pictures out to make sure he's happy with them. I also had a co-worker request necklace options for their sister's birthday, so I spent yesterday afternoon and this morning putting that together. Of course, she requested that back in June...and the birthday is Tuesday...so we'll see if she even still needs a gift! If not, I'll have some really beautiful necklaces and matching earrings to put up in the Etsy shop. 

I've started a new position at my job this last week, so I'll be busy learning all my new responsibilities, and teaching other folks how to do the stuff that I won't have time to do anymore. It's exciting and nerve-wracking! Hopefully this will even out my schedule too, so that I can have a more structured timeline for my days. I'm really looking forward to that! 

This week we made our first batch of Tomatillo salsa and canned it in the pressure canner. I have tomatoes coming ripe, so hopefully we'll be making tomato sauce and pizza sauce in the coming weeks. I think I also have enough tomatillos ripe for another batch of salsa!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!

Etsy Weekends: Bamboo Earrings

I think you all know that I like earrings. A lot. Especially if they have scrollwork, or are lightweight, with a simple and elegant ear attachment. These fit that bill to a T! Is Christmas coming up soon or what??

Tribal Rec Bamboo Earrings from Kinetik Soul

August Already??

 Hello All!

I am having a hard time believing that it is August already. It feels like this year is just slipping past, soon it will be snowing. Uff dah!

This week has been pretty busy with work stuff, and I haven't had much energy when I get home. Plus I have been feeling rundown the last couple of weeks. Too much something, not enough something else, and when I figure that out I'll be top notch again.

 

We are running headlong into harvesting season, and my peppers are already a little hard to keep up with. Today I picked a bowlful of tomatillos, and by this evening we should have some salsa ready to jar and can in our new pressure canner! I've got herbs in the dehydrator, and some tomatoes that have come ripe too, so maybe we'll make some salsa fresca and figure out a yummy Mexican meal to serve it with. Last night we picked enough green beans to make a side dish for our dinner, and topped our cheeseburgers with jalapenos and green onions from the garden. We have chinese five color peppers that are ready, and I can't wait to make some breakfast eggs with them tossed in. 

As far as crafting is concerned, I haven't been able to do much. I'm working on two commissioned Mala necklaces, and made a handful of stretch bracelets this week. I've also finally set up my soldering station upstairs, and I can't wait to try my hand at a new skill. Knitting has been crowding into my brain - especially with Fall knitting magazines coming in, but with the summer heat my knitting plans will stay locked away in my brain for a while.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful week and we'll see you again next weekend :)

Etsy Weekend: Visual Reminders

Here's a wall hanging designed to help us remember that which we often forget:

Wall Art Canvas from Honey, It's Crafted

Etsy Weekends: Soap

Matt and I both love soap - smelling it, using it, and of course - buying it! Fortunately, Mom also really loves buying soap, and tends to send us locally made bars when she sends boxes. We buy it locally too, and drool over it on Etsy. Here's a lovely bar I've got my eye on!

Peach Soap from Maid-A-Milking